Cam operated range timer switch



Feb. 9, 1965 w. s. ZAGORSKI 3,169,177

CAM OPERATED RANGE TIMER SWITCH Filed May 3, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .46 tarwqg.

Feb. 9, 1965 w. s. ZAGORSKI 3,159,177

CAM OPERATED RANGE TIMER SWITCH Filed May 3, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a s/E n United States Patent 3,1693177 CAM QPERATEDRANGE TIMER SWITCH Wladyslaw. Stanley Zagorslai, Morrison, Ill, assignor to General Electric Qompany, a corporation of New York Filed May 3, 1963, Ser. No. 277,J63 8 Gail s. (Q1. zen-es This invention relates to time switches of the electric range timer type and is particularly applicable to the type of range timer having a means for automatically controlling the oven of an electric range.

Modern electric range timers often include means for setting the start time i.e., the time at which the oven is to be turned on, and means for setting the stop time, i.e., the time at which the oven is to be turned off. In using such a timer, the housewife may set her oven for automatic operation by adjusting her range timer to the desired settings. The timing mechanism then energizes the oven when the start time is reached, and deenergizes the oven when the stop time is reached.

On occasion the housewife may desire to manually control the operation of her oven rather than controlling it automatically. For manual operation it is necessary that one or more of the timer controlled switches be maintained in a closed position. With the switch set for manual the housewife may then control the oven by means of the oven thermostat. In one type of prior art range timer which has seen widespread use, to enable the timer controlled switches to be readily set to manual by the housewife, an axially silidable stop time control member is depressed and thereupon latched into its depressed position to lock the switches in their closed position. When the timer is then subsequently set for automatic operation, these switches are time controlled to energize and deenergize the oven. In such a prior art range timer it has been found desirable to provide an additional switch which is closed only when the timer is set to the manual position, and is open for all the other operating positions of the device. This additional switch may be utilized for controlling fast oven pre-heating of a broiling unit by means of the stop time control member.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved range timer which is simplified in construction and has an improved circuit controllng' flexh bility.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved range timer which is inexpensive, reliable, and efiicient in operation.

A further object of my invention is to' provide an improved range timer havingan efiicient and simplified means for actuating an additional switch which is exclusively responsive to the depression of an axially movable stopping control member of the device to a predetermined axial position.

In carrying out my invention, in one form thereof 1 provide a range timer having at least onetime controlled switch and separate spaced apart-starting and stopping control members which are axially slidable and arranged to actuate the time controlled switch. The starting and stopping members are rotatable in their depressed position to set the times at which the time controlled switches will be automatically closed and opened, and axially slidable outwardly to perform their actuating functions: in response to a motor drivenmeans. When the starting mem her is in its outer or unset position and the stop member is depressed, it is latched into its depressed position to actuate the time controlled switch. This closes the time controlled switch and'sets it for the manual position of the range timer.

With such an arrangement, in accordance with the present invention there is provided an additional switch oper- 3,169,177 Patented Feb. 9, 1965 able to one position by the stopping control member whenthis member is in its manual position and actuat ed to its other position by the starting and stopping control members when the range timer is in its unset, or its set positions. The additional switch is actuated upon depression of the stopping control member to its man ual position by an L-shaped connection arranged to transfer a relatively small axial movement of the stopping control member to the movable contact blade of the additional switch. To provide such an arrangement at an economical cost and optimum efiiciency, one arm of the L shap'ed connection cooperates with the movable contact blade of the additional switch, between the ends of the blade, and the movable contact blade of the additional switch is secured to and supported by a terminail which also supports the movable contact blade of an associated time controlled switch. With such an arrangement, a simplified additional switch structure and actuta'ting means has been included in a range timer to enable this addi: tional switch to be exclusively operable by movement of the stopping member to and from its manual depressed position.

By further aspects of my invention, additional desirable features may be included in the range timer, and'the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which I regard as my invention. The invention, however, as to organization and method of operation, together with fur ther objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an improved range timer embodying my invention in one form thereof;v

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the range timer;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the range timer from the side on which the switch is mounted; I

FIG. 4 is a view taken generally along the lines A-A of FIG. 2 with the range timer set for manual operation;

FIG. 5 is the same view as FIG. 4 with the range timer set for automatic time controlled operation;

FIG. 5a is a fragmentary view of the switch contacts of FIG. 5 when the start time has been reached and the timecontrolled contacts are closed to energize the oven.

FIG. 6 is the same view as FIG. 4, with the switch not set, and the starting and stopping control members in their outermost positions;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view, partially broken away to illustrate the additional switch mechanism and the actuating mechanism therefor in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8is a fragmentary view of a portion of the back of the range timer including the switch unit.

In the drawings the samecomponents are designated by the same numerals. I

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, my invention is shown in one form embodied in a range timer 1. The range timer I 1 includes a face plate 3, clock mechanism S, electric motor '7 for driving the clock mechanism and oven controlling switch unit 9; For setting andcontrolling switch 9, starting and stoppingcontrol members 11 and 13, respectively, have been provided (FIG. 3); These mem bers function as switch actuating, and. setting members for controlling the response of the switch 'to the clock,

mechanism. Members 11 and 13 each include shafts 15 and 17, respectively, which extend outwardly through face plate 3 and may be manually adjusted to alfect the desired timed response upon switch 9. To furnish an interval timing signal for the operator, interval timer 19 is also provided. The mechanism of timer 19 actuates a buzzer sound at the end of a time interval which is present by the adjustment of shaft 21.

Clock time indication for the observer is obtained from clock mechanism 5 by means of central setting shaft 23 with hour and minute hands 25 and 27 mounted thereto. The hour and minute hands rotate about time indicating embossment 29 which is formed on the face plate 3 and is appropriately divided into twelve hourly designations. Start time indicating embossment 31 and stop time indicating embossment 33 are each also formed in face plate 3 (on the left side thereof as viewed in FIG. 1). The embossments 31 and 33 are each divided into twelve hourly designations, with fifteen minute intervals indicated therebetween. Starting and stopping shafts 15 and 17 each have an indicating hand 35 attached thereto to indicate the times at which the oven is to be turned on and off, respectively, by switch unit 9. Time indication for the minute timer is provided by a hand 37 which is afiixed to setting shaft 21. Embossment 39 underlies hand 37 and contains appropriate indicia for referencing thereof and setting the minute timer by the rotation of shaft 21. Knobs 41 cooperate with the slotted outer ends of each of the setting shafts to facilitate the manual adjustment thereof.

For supporting all of the various mechanism of the range timer, front and rear plates 43 and 45, respectively, are provided. (See FIG. 2.) Face plate 3 is attached to the outer side of front plate 43. Threaded spacers 47 are staked to front plate 43 so that rear plate 45 may be firmly secured thereto by means of screws 49. To support setting shafts 15, 17, 21, and 23 within the timer, all of these shafts are rotatably journalled in front plate 43, with their outer end portions terminating in manually operable setting knobs 41. The inner end portions of shafts 15, 17, 21, and 23 all extend through apertures in rear plate 45 to provide additional bearing support.

It will be noted that clock mechanism 5 is centrally located in the range timer, with interval timing mechanism 9 on the right side, as seen in FIG. 2. Switch unit 9 is disposed on the left side of the timer (as viewed in FIG. 2), along with the starting and stopping members 11 and 13, and as shall be discussed in detail hereinafter, an important aspect of the present invention concerns itself with the structure, arrangement, and mode of operation of one of the switches of switch unit 9.

To provide snap action for certain of the switches of switch unit 9 in response to timed axial movement of members 11 and 13, a suitable switch cocking or operating mechanism 52 is utilized. This cocking mechanism 52 is mounted on the outer side of rear plate 45, and is covered and protected by switch insulating base 53. One suitable switch cocking mechanism which may be used in range timer 1 is described in detail and claimed in my Patent Number 3,038,041 (issued on June 5, 1962), which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

To set the starting and stopping times for the oven, as previously mentioned, start and stop shafts 15 and 17, respectively, have been provided. Starting and stopping shafts 15 and 17 are rotatably journalled for axial movement within bushings 55 and 57 (as shown in FIG. 5), and the inner ends of these shafts extend outwardly from rear plate 45 (i.e., upwardly, viewing FIG. 5) to actuate the switch cocking mechanism and thereby close or open contact pairs 58 and 60 of the switch unit 9. (See also FIG. 3.) The shafts 15 and 17 have gear shaped discs 59 and 61, respectively, securely mounted on a portion of each shaft between front plate 43 and rear plate 45. Gear shaped discs 59 and 61 are of identical construction and have apertures formed on the surfaces thereof, such as the aperture 63 shown in FIG. 7. These apertures serve to provide the preset timed axial movement of starting and stopping members 11 and 13, by engagement with mating projecting noses 67 and 69 of driven gears 71 and 73. More particularly, gears 71 and 73 are jour- 4 nalled for coaxial rotative movement around shafts 15 and 17, respectively, by annular bushings 55 and 57. To continuously drive gears 71 and 73, gear 74 is driven by the clock mechanism and continuously meshes with gears 71 and 73. (See FIG. 2.)

Discs 59 and 61 thus are securely mounted to their respective starting and stopping shafts 15 and 17 to form the starting and stopping control members 11 and 13. When shafts 15 and 17 are axially depressed, they are biased outwardly by suitable resilient means. In the range timer illustrated, start shaft 15 is biased outwardly to its normal position by spring 15a (FIG. 3) and stop shaft 17 is biased to its normal position by the switch cocking mechanism 52 (FIG. 4). Since discs 59 and 61 are attached to their respective shafts 15 and 17, when these shafts are in their depressed or set positions, the discs are axially biased toward their coaxially arranged driven gears 71 and 73, and noses 67 and 69 of the driven gears 71 and 73 thereupon ride on the adjacent surfaces of discs 59 and 61 (as shown in FIG. 5) to restrain outward axial movement (i.e., downward axial movement, viewing FIG. 5) of members 11 and 13 until the preset switch actuating times have been reached. When the preset actuating time is reached, aperture 63 of either disc 59 or disc 61 is in alignment with mating nose 67 or 69 of the particular driven gear, and starting member 11 or stopping member 13 then moves outwardly due to its resilient biasing means to actuate the switch cocking mechanism 52 and thereby operate the switch contact pairs 58 and 60 of switch unit 9.

Starting and stopping members 11 and 13 are thus axially slidable between outer or normal and inner or set positions, to set and to actuate the contact pairs 58, 60 of switch unit 9. Upon depression of either member 11 or 13 to its set position, manual rotation thereof sets the desired time response of the switch in accordance with the angular position of the disc aperture 63 in relation to the mating nose of its associated driven gear. When the preset time has been reached and starting or stopping member 11 or 13 moves outwardly to perform its particular switch actuating function, the cooperation between the disc aperture 63 and the mating nose of its associated driven gear (now also a driving gear) thereafter causes the unset start or stop member to rotate with the clock mechanism. (See FIG. 6.) While rotating with the clock mechanism in their normal positions, members 11 and 13 are not manually rotatable because of the large amount of gear train torque restraining the manual rotation thereof. When either one or the other or both of starting and stopping members 11 and 13 are in their depressed positions, the gear teeth of discs 59 and 61 are engaged by detent spring 75. This spring, as best seen in FIG. 3, includes a pair of V-shaped projections which are spring biased to engage adjacent teeth of rotating discs 59 and 61 when these discs are in their depressed positions. Use of the spring 75 provides control for rotation of the start and stop members in setting the starting and stopping times for automatic operation, by serving as a detent for the rotary movement of the discs.

On occasion, the operator of the range timer 1 may docide that instead of using the timer to automatically control the switch unit 9 for oven operation, it is desirable to set the switch unit 9 to a manual position. This setting allows the operator to close the switch contact pairs 58 and 60 to thereby control the oven by the oven thermostat. The manual setting may be established in my timer 1 by simply depressing stop control member 13, while start control member 11 is in its normal position. (See FIG. 4.) When this condition occurs, i.e., stop member 13 is depressed with the start member 11 in its normal outer position, a spring biased latching mechanism 76 (FIG. 4) is provided to lock member 13 in its innermost position. One suitable latching mechanism 76 which may be used in range timer 1 includes a spring biased lever 76a (FIG. 4) which engages an annular i 3 groove 76b (FIG. 6). Such a mechanism is described in detail and claimed in my aforesaid Patent Number 3,038,041. With stop member 13 in its innermost position, as shown in FIG. 4, contact 'pairs 58 and 60 are maintained in a closed condition by the switch cocking mechanism 52, where they are unalfected by the timer motor 7. Upon the subsequent depression. of start member 11, the aforementioned latching mechanism is acted upon by the switch cocking mechanism and releases stop member 13 which in some cases has to be rotated manually to return the switch contact pairs 58 and 60 to their open position. (See FIG. 6.)

It will thus be seen that, in range timer 1, the oven controlling switch contact pairs 58 and 60 may be set for automatic or time controlled operation by depressing start and stop shatts 15 and 17 and then rotating their respective hands 35 to the desired start and stop times for the cooking operation. If the operator decides to set the switch unit 9 for manual control, to control the oven by means of the oven thermostat, all he or she needs to do is to depress stop shaft 17, while starting shaft 15 is in its normal outermost position.

Turning now to an important aspect of my invention, in my improved range timer 1, I have provided a simple and efiicient switch unit. 9. The switch unit 9 not only includes the aforementioned pairs of contacts 58 and so which are operable by the cocking mechanism 52, but it also includes an additional pair of switch contacts '77, which are closed by the stop control member 13 when it is in the manual depressed position. Before describing in detail the structure and mode of operation of the switch contacts 77, it is first considered appropriate to describe the structure and mode of operation of the time controlled co-ntactpairs 58 and 6d. The pairs of contacts 58-and 6d are of identical construction, each pair including (as shown inFIG. 7) a contact carrying leaf spring 79 which supports a movable contact button 81, and a fixed contact button 83 which is arranged to cooperate with movable contact button 81. The fixed contact buttons 83 of the switches 58 and 60 are secured to and supported by elongated fixed contact terminals 85 riveted to the switch base 53, as shown in FIG. 8. Asfurther shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each of the contact carrying leaf springs 79 is secured at 89 to an elongated movable contact-terminal 87 and supported in cantilever fashion therefrom with its longitudinal axis in crosswise relationship thereto. The contact terminals 85 and 87 are of identical construction and preferably are arranged inparallel and coplanar relationship, with the terminal 85 positioned in a suitable recess near one side of the switch insulating base 53 (FIG. 8), and the other associated terminal 87 positioned in a suitable recess near theother side of the base.

The contact carrying leaf springs '79 for the switches 58 and 66) are resiliently biased toward the fixed contact terminals 85 so'that the movable contact buttons 81 tend to engage their associated fixed contact buttons 83. Springs 79 are positioned on the outer side of base 53 for engagement by an actuator member 89 (FIG. 8) pivotally arranged therein. The actuator member 89 is constructed of insulating material and pivotallymounted in base 53, to act upon springs 79 for, operating the switches SSand 60.

More particularly, a switch actuating pin 91 (FIGS. 4-6) is in adjustable threaded'engagement with actuator member 89; The lower-tip 91a (FIG. 4) of pin 91 rests upon switch actuating arm 93. of the cockingv mechanism 52. (See. FIGS. 4 and 5.) Member 89 is arranged to pivot by means of tits 92 which are formed on one side of the member. and respectively engage the underside of the supported end of associated springs 79. Member 89 also has a pair of spaced tit-s 94 which are disposed on its other side and lie directly underneath ieaf springs79. (See FIG. 8.) I As switch actuating arm 93 of the cocking mechanism pivots in response to-the actuating axial movement of starting and stopping members 11 and 13, actuating pin 91 moves the tits 94 of actuator member 89 toward or away from leaf springs 79 to operate the contact pairs 58 and 60 of the switch unit 9.

Turning now to a further discussion of the improved switch unit 9 of the present invention, attention is dirooted to FIG. 7. To enhance the circuit controlling flexibility of my improved range timer 1, as shown therein, the additional switch 77 has been provided. Switch 77 comprises a specially constructed elongated leaf spring 95 and an L-shaped fixed con-tact terminal 97, and as shown in FIGS- 7 and 8, it is arranged near the switch contacts 58. The leaf spring 95 is supported in cantilever fashion from one end 98 thereof by means of attachment to the aforementioned movable contact terminal 87. The supported end 98 of spring 95 may be attached to terminal 87 by the same rivet 811 used to fasten the leaf spring 79 thereto, and as shown in FIG. 7 is disposed on an opposite side of terminal 87 from spring 79. As further shown in FIG. 7, the leaf spring 95 generally overlies spring 79. Between the supportedend 98 of leaf spring 95 and free end 101 there-of, there is formed a U-shaped arch 103. The arch 163 includes opposed sides 165 projecting upwardly in transverse fashion from the general plane of spring 95, as shown in FIG. 7. The upper ends of sides 185- are connected to a bight section 197 which is disposed in generally parallel relationship to the general plane of spring 95.

To enable the switch 77 to become compactly and'economically arranged in the switch unit 9, as further shown inFIG. 7, the arch 183 receives and cooperates with an elongated finger 109 of a switch actuator 111. The finger 109 includes an upper knife edge 112, in engagement with the approximate center of the surface of bight section 107 facing spring 79. By means of the engagement of knife edge 1 12 of actuating finger 109 with the bight section 197 of spring 95, when the stop member 13 is depressed to its innermost manual position (as shown in FIG. 4) the switch 77 is closed.

More particularly, as further shown in FIG. 7, a movable contact button 113 is secured .to the free end of spring 95 and disposed in upwardly facing disposition thereon. The contact button 113 of spring 95 is arranged to electrically mate with an associated fixed contact button 115. secured to the underside of and adjacent end of terminal 97. To enable the actuating finger 109 of actuator 111 to act upon movable contact spring 95 when the range timer 1 is set to its manual position, the finger 199 projects laterally and to the right (viewing FIG. 8) from a supporting platform 117 (FIG. 7). The outermost or. top surface 119 of platform 117 (viewing FIG. 7) has an oblong configuration and the shorter end walls 120 extend perpendicularly inwardly or downwardly toward stopping disc 61. The end walls 120 are stepped inwardly toward each other at 121, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to surface 12%) as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, and then downwardlyin a direction parallel to surface 124).

To support and guide the reciprocating movement of switch actuator 111 in the switch base 53, as shownin FIGS. 7 and 8, there is integrally molded therein a framelike projection 122 which receives, surrounds, and cooperateswith the platform 1.11. More particularly, the projection 122 includes an elongated ledge 123 (FIG. 8) joined at its ends to a pair of opposed shorter ledges 125.

The. elongated ledge 123 has a curved seat 127 formed .on its outermost surface (FIG. 7) to position and seat the finger 109 of the actuator. The inner walls 129 of ledges extend downwardly from the outer surface thereof (viewing FIG. 7) and are stepped inwardly at 131 and then downwardly toward stopping disc 61. With such an arrangement, the platform 117 of switch actuator 111 cooperates with the recess formed by the ledges of projection 122, to guide the reciprocating movement of the actuator 111 in a direction parallel to the direction of axial-movement of the stop member 13. In addition, by: means of 8 the cooperative engagement of the steps 121 of the actuator platform 117 with the steps 131 of the frame-like projection 122 and the engagement of the curved bottom surface of finger 105 with curved seat 127 of ledge 123, movement of the actuator toward stopping disc 61 is limited to the desired extent.

To transmit the axial movement of stopping disc 61 from one side of the rear plate 45 to the other side thereof and through the switch unit 9, as shown in FIG. 7, I have provided an elongated screw 133. In accordance with the present invention, the screw 133 is in threaded engagement with an aperture 135 formed in actuator 117, and it is extended through the aperture 135 and aligned bearing apertures 138 and 139 of the switch base 53 and rear plate 45, respectively so that head 137 of the screw is engageable from the exterior of the range timer 1 to calibrate the mode of actuation of the switch 77.

As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the screw 133 also extends through the switch cavity, which is disposed between rear plate 45 and bearing aperture 133 of the switch base. The innermost end of screw 133 is hemispherically configured to allow minimal frictional engagement with the smooth upper surface (FIG. 7) of stopping disc 61.

Turning now to a detailed explanation of the operation of my improved range timer 1, let us suppose that the operator of the range timer desires to manually control the operation of the oven, or in other words, turn the oven on and off herself rather than having the oven timed on and off automatically. When the timer is not being used, the start and stop shafts 15 and 17 are in their normal outermost positions, as shown in FIG. 6. To set the timer for manual operation, the stop shaft 17 is then simply depressed to its innermost position. When shaft 17 is depressed, stop disc 61 which is attached to it moves to the position shown in FIG. 4, and nose 69 is spaced slightly from disc 61 by engagement of the spring biased latching lever 76a (FIG. 4) with annular groove 7611 (FIG. 6) of the shaft 17. The stop member 13 is then locked in its innermost depressed position. As shown in FIG. 4, the cocking mechanism 52 is thereby operated so that actuating lever 93 pivots slightly in a clockwise direction from the position where it is shown in FIG. 6 to the position where it is shown in FIG. 4. The elongated part of lever 93 thus moves downwardly, viewing FIG. 4, and allows actuating pin 91 to move downwardly with it. The timer controlled contact pairs 58 and 60 are thereupon allowed to close due to the inherent biasing forces of the movable blades 79.

When stop disc 61 is operated to its manual latched position by depression of the shaft 17, as further shown by a comparison of FIGS. 4 and 6, the bottom of screw 133 is engaged by the surface of the disc 61 and thrust upwardly. As the screw 133 is moved upwardly, the switch actuator 111 to which it is attached is also moved outwardly from the switch unit 9. The knife edge 112 of finger 109 then acts upon bight section 107 of switch blade 95 to close the contacts 113, 115 of the additional switch 77. The switch 77, may be suitably connected to control fast oven pre-heating of a broiling unit by means of the stop time control member.

When the operator decides to set the range timer 1 for automatic or time-controlled operation of the oven controlling switch contact pairs 58 and 60, she depresses both of the start and stop members 11 and 13, and then rotates them so that the indicating hands 35 point to the desired start and stop times for the oven cooking operation. When the start and stop members 11 and 13 are both depressed, they are in the position shown in FIG. 5. Driven gear 71 of start member 11 is then separated from start disc 59 by nose 67 of gear 71, and driven gear 73 of stop member 13 is separated from stop disc 61 by nose 69 of gear 73. Stop gear 61 is thus closer to gear 73 by a very small distance than when the stop member 11 is set for the manual condition (as will be understood by a comparison of the positions of gear 61 in FIGS. 4 and 5). The reason for this is because depression of start member 11 unlatches the latching mechanism 76, and allows shaft 17 to move outwardly a slight distance. When this condition occurs, the cocking mechanism 51 is operated by the start and stop members 11 and 13 so that the elongated section of lever 93 holds the switch contacts 58 and 60 open, as shown in FIG. 5.

When the timer is set from its manual to its automatic position, the relatively small axial movement of stop member 13 causes the disc 61 to disengage the bottom of screw 133. The contacts 113, of switch 77 are thereupon allowed to open, due to the inherent biasing force of movable blade 95. Any circuit to the broiling unit such as the aforementioned fast oven pre-heating control referred to hereinbefore, is thus disconnected. However, it is contemplated that in many applications of my improved range timer, this fast oven preheating may be initiated by switch 77 and terminated by an oven thermostat (not shown).

After the timer 1 has been set for automatic time controlled operation of the oven (FIG. 5) when the preset start time has elapsed, nose 67 of driven gear 71 becomes aligned with aperture 63 of starting disc 59. When this occurs, the spring 15a operates the start member 11 to its outermost normal position. The right end of the elongated section of actuating lever 93 (of the cocking mechanism 52) thereupon pivots downwardly (FIG. 5) and in a clockwise direction (about its shorter end) from its relatively horizontal position. The actuating pin,91 is thus allowed to drop sufiiciently so that the tits 94 of the pivoted actuator 89 (FIG. 7) move downwardly and away from their associated switch blades 79. This allows the switch contact pairs 58 and 61) to close (for energizing the oven), and the switch contacts assume the position shown in FIG. 5a. The stop disc 61 is in the same position as it assumed at the start of the automatic cycle, so the switch 77 therefore remains in an open condition.

After the switch contacts 53 and 60 have closed by outward movement of starting member 11, this member thereupon continuously rotates with gear 71, being driven thereby through the cooperation of nose 67 and slot 63 of the start disc 59. Nose 69 of gear 73 continues to rotate with the clock mechanism and retains stop member 13 in its inner position (FIG. 5) by spacing disc 61 from gear 73. When the preset stopping time for the oven is reached, nose 69 of gear 73 will then be in alignment with aperture 63 of stop disc 61. This allows biasing force from a spring 5211 (FIG. 5) of the cocking mechanism to act upon the inner end of the stop shaft 17, by means of a second pivoted lever 52b (FIG. 6) of the cocking mechanism. The end of the lever 52b which overlies the inner end of shaft 17 then moves downwardly (FIGS. 5 and 6) and this movement causes its other end to act upon lever 93. Lever 93 then pivots in a counterclockwise direction about its shorter end (viewing FIG. 6). The elongated section of lever 93 then urges switch actuating pin 91 to its upper position (FIG. 6), causing the contact pairs of switches 58 and 60 to open, thereby deenergizing circuits to the oven.

When the starting and stopping members 11 and 13 return to their outermost normal positions, this has no effect upon switch 77, and the contacts 113, 115 thereof remain in an open position (as shown in FIG. 6).

It will now therefore be seen that my new and improved nange timer provides a simple and efiicient means for enhancing the circuit controlling flexibility of a time operable switch unit. It will further be understood that the present invention may be expeditiously incorporated in prior art range timers at an economical cost.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from my invention, and I therefore aim in the following claims to cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A timer comprising: a first switch means; means for actuating said first switch means including first and second manually adjustable control members, said control members each having a set position and an unset position; motor driven means for sequentially releasing said control members from their set positions thereby to provide time controlled actuation of said first switch means; means for locking said first switch means in one position unaffected by said motor driven means, said first control member positioning said first switch means in locked position; a second switch means, actuating means for operating said second switch means, said first control member engageable with said actuating means to actuate said second switch means to one position when said first switch means is locked in position by said locking means said second control member unlocking said first switch .means and disengaging said actuating means from said first control member thereby to return said second switch means to its other position.

2. A timer comprising: a first switch means; means for actuating said first switch means including first and second axially slidable and manulally adjustable control members, said control members each having a set axial position and an unset axial position; motor driven means for sequentially releasing said control members from their set positions thereby to provide time. controlled actuation of said first switch means; means for locking said first control member in a third axial locked position locking said first switch means in a closed position unaifected by said motor driven means; a second switch means, an

actuating means for operating said second switch, said I first control member engaging said actuating means to it) operating with said other end of said actuator extending therethrough.

5. A timer comprising: a first switch means; means for actuating said first switch means including first and second manually adjustable and axially slidable control members, said control members each having a set axial position and tially releasing said control members from their set positions thereby to provide time controlled actuation of said first switch means; means for locking said first control member in a depressed position unafiected by said motor driven means; a second switch means independent of said motor driven means and including a movable contact blade; an L-shaped actuator one arm of which is engageable by said first control member and movable thereby in a direction parallel to the axis of said first control member, the other arm of said actuator being in threaded engagement with said one arm thereby to adjust the effective length of said one arm, the other arm of said actuator being in cooperation with said movable contact blade between the ends thereof, said other arm of said actuator being adjustably arranged to actuate said second switch means to one position when said first switch means is locked in a closed position by said locking means and to allow said second switch means to return to its other position when said locking means is unlocked, whereby when said first control member is displaced said L-shaped actuator engages said movable contact blade to operate said second switch means.

6. The timer of claim 5 wherein said first switch means includes at least one switch comprising a movable contact blade supported in cantilever fashion from a terminal tion, the unset position of said first control member is an close said second switch means when said first switch I means is locked in a closed position by said locking means, said first switch means releasing said actuator when said locking means is unlocked allowing said second switch means to return to its open position.

3. A timer comprising: a first switch means; means for actuating said first switch means including first and sec ond manually adjustable and axially slidable control members, saidcontrol members each having a set axial position and an unset axial position; motor driven means for sequentially releasing said control members from their set positions thereby to provide time controlled actuation of said first switch means; means for locking said first control memberin a fully depressed position unaffected by said motor driven means; a second switch means independent of said motor driven means and including a movable contact blade; an L-shaped actuator one end of which is engaged by and responsive to axial movement of said first control member into its said fully depressed position and disengaged from said first control member in its said set and unset axial positions, the other end of said actuator cooperably associated with said movable contact blade between the ends of said blade, whereby when said first control member is displaced said L- shaped actuator engages said movable contact blade to operate said second switch means.

4. The timer of claim 3, wherein said movable contact blade has a generally 'U-shaped interruption between a supported and movable end thereof, said interruption cooutermost axial position, and the set position of said first control member is an axial position between said depressed position and said set position.

8. A timer comprising: a first switch means; means for actuating said first switch means including first and second axially slidable and manually adjustable control members, said first control member having an innermost axial position, a set axial position spaced outwardly therefrom and an outermost unset axial position, said second control member having a set axial position and an unset axial position; motor driven means for sequentially releasing said control members from their set positions thereby. to provide time controlled actuation of said switch; means for locking said first switch means in a closed position unaifected by said motor driven means when said first control member is in its innermost axial position; a second switch means; and means including said first control member for actuating said second switch means to a closed position when said first switch means is locked in a closed position by said locking means and allowing said second switch means to return to its open position when said locking means is unlocked.

BERNARD A. GIILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

7 ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Examiner. 

1. A TIMER COMPRISING: A FIRST SWITCH MEANS; MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE CONTROL MEMBERS, SAID CONTROL MEMBERS EACH HAVING A SET POSITION AND AN UNSET POSITION; MOTOR DRIVEN MEANS FOR SEQUENTIALLY RELEASING SAID CONTROL MEMBERS FORM THEIR SET POSITIONS THEREBY TO PROVIDE TIME CONTROLLED ACTUATION OF SAID SWITCH MEANS; MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS IN ONE POSITION UNAFFECTED BY SAID MOTOR DRIVEN MEANS, SAID FIRST CONTROL MEMBER POSITIONING SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS IN LOCKED POSITION; A SECOND SWITCH MEANS, ACTUATING MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS, SAID FIRST CONTROL MEMBER ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS TO ACTUATE SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS TO ONE POSITION WHEN SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS IS LOCKED IN POSITION BY SAID LOCKING MEANS SAID SECOND CONTROL MEMBER UNLOCKING SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS AND DISENGAGING SAID ACTUATING MEANS FROM SAID FIRST CONTROL MEMBER THEREBY TO RETURN SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS TO ITS OTHER POSITION. 